Man United 3-0 Stoke: Lukaku & Martial on target as United tame Potters

Man United consolidated their second spot with an expected win and managed a third clean sheet in succession - but the 12-point gap to runaway pacemakers Man City still seems too much to hope the title is within the reach of anybody but Citizens. Predictably, Stoke were tamed at Old Trafford as they are still the bottom-third side.

How it unfolded:

United fullback Antonio Valencia broke the deadlock just inside the first 10 minutes into the game after he had cut in from the right and unleashed a left-foot strike into the top far corner - barely did Butland have a chance to prevent it.

There was a raft of a succession of Stoke goalscoring opportunities, which Stephen Ireland alone should have scored, but shortly before the half-time Anthony Martial let fly from 25 yards and gave his side a comfortable 2-0 lead.

It took almost half an hour for the Red Devils to completely rout the Potters after the break with striker Romelu Lukaku taking down a fine cross in, turning and producing a low finish into the left that the Stoke defenders didn't manage to hold off.

Mourinho's side won 3-0 in what was a strong team display, reducing the gap on leaders Man City, who slipped at Liverpool the day before, to 12 points and three off Liverpool and Chelsea, sharing 3rd and 4th.

Stoke remain in the bottom three, only one point below Southampton in 17th and three adrift of Brighton, who sit 16th.